Window shade guard



y 1952 J. c. WINSLOW WINDOW SHADE GUARD Filed Feb. '7, 1951 S Y R E m. M w m im W.&&T m A w N Ha Y Patented July 1, 1952 John C. Winslow, New York, N. Y. Application February 7, 1951; Serial No. 209,824 i I The present invention pertains to improvements in window shade guards.

' It is common practice in many residential buildings and the like to mount tied-back curtains' in close relation to roll-shades in window-' openings. With "this common combination difficulty and inconvenience are encountered due to catching or hooking of the bottom cross stick or rod of' the shade inthe tie-backs of the curtains as the shade is drawn downward.

Anobject ofthe present invention is to provide means to prevent such interference with lowering the shade.

A further object is to provide means of-the above nature comprising members attachable to the lower corners of the shade and adapted to deflect the curtain tie-backs or other obstructions therefrom.

A further object is to provide means of the above nature which is readily attachable over different sizes of shade rods.

A still further object is to provide means of the above type adapted to prevent unwinding of the shade when the latter is allowed to raise too suddenly. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become evident during the course of the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the same;

Figure 3 is a bottom view of the same;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of the same in the plane 4-4, Figure 1;

Figure 5 shows the catching efiect of the ordinary unprotected shade rod on the usual curtain tie-backs;

Figure 6 illustrates a pair of the guard members attached to a standard roller-shade;

Figure 7 illustrates the manner in which the present invention deflects the tie-backs to prevent catching;

Figure 8 illustrates how the device prevents unwinding of the shade from its roller; and

Figure 9 shows an alternative structure in which the right and left guards are constructed as a single unit.

Referring to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, the numeral Ill designates an elongated body member recessed along its upper rear side to receive the outer end and adjacent portion of a flattened shade rod or stick I l the latter being disposed in the lower hem of the usual roller shade 12. A rear plate l3, adjustably secured to the body 10 in any suits oiaims. (o1. 160-384) able manner such as by counter-sunk screws I4, Figures 2 and 4, clamps the device in place.

The body lllco nprises an inner'portion l5 enlarged both downwardly'and forwardly, the body curving upwardly andrearwardl'y to a rounded outer end Hi which embracesthe' end of the stick II. The body is made of -a material-such as plastic or plated metal having a, polished-surface adapted to provide a very'lowcoefiicient of fric tion when in contact/with fabric. The rear plate [3 also is provided with a polished outersurface, and is sunk within the rear of the'body ID, the screws l4 also being countersunk as noted.

It will be seen that thedescribed structure provides a guard which, due to its outwardly tapering contour, its low coefdcient'of friction and the absence ofany projections, is adapted to slip or urge any encountered"obstructions outward around the 'end ofthe'shadestick H-.: It will be understood that the device is normally constructed in pairs comprising right and'left units adapted to guard both lower corners of the shade 12 as shown in Figures 6 and '7. 1

Figure 5 illustrates atypical conditiontwhich the invention is adapted to remedy. :Thisfigure shows a pair of curtains ll, hung in fronttof the shade 12 andprovided with tie-backs or loops To clarify the inter-action of the shade and the loops IS, the curtains ll themselves are shown in dot-and-dash lines.

The lower hem IQ of the shade l2, enclosing V the stick II, is unguarded as in common practice. With this condition, when the shade I2 is drawn downward one or both ends of the stick H and hem l9 encounter the loops i8, and due to the square corners and comparatively high friction between the loops and hem, the loops catch and hold as shown, with consequent annoyance to the operator and frequent damage to the loops.

Referring to Figure 6, it will be noted that the guard bodies 10 normallyoverlie the loops l8. In this case, when the shade I2 is drawn downward the loops are engaged by the upwardly sloped gliding surfaces 20 of the bodies l0, which deflect the loops outward around the ends [6 as shown in Figure '7. The deflecting action is augmented by the fact that the upward curva-v ture of the slip surfaces 20 increases as they approach the ends 16, thereby compensating for the outward swing of the loops E8 to maintain an effective slip angle. Thus the loops are effectively moved clear of the shade structure and vantageously be made sufiiciently resilient to al-- low proper clamping on sticks H of various dimensions.

In the modification shown in Figure 9 the two end guards are made in a single unit spanning the entire bottom of the shade, but having the same tapered deflecting surfaces 20 and I6 operative in the manner described. With this construction various widths are required to fit various standard widths of shade, while the rightand-left'hand pair type set forth above is applicable to any width of shade. When the single unitary type is used, it may if desired be proportioned to clamp directly to the hem of the curtain, thus eliminating the necessity for the usual stick.

While the invention has been set forth in preferred form it is not limited to the exact structures illustrated, as various modifications obviously can be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a guard for a roll-shade, in combination, a horizontally elongated body member adapted tocover a lower corner and a substantial horizontal length of the lower surface of said shade, said body member being formed with an enlarged portion inwardly remote from said corner and extending below and forwardly from said surface, said member tapering from said remote enlarged portion upwardly and rearwardly toward and around said corner, and means to secure said member to said shade.

2. 'The combination in claim 1 wherein said upward tapering thereof comprises a curve decreasing in radius as it approaches said corner.

3. In guarding apparatus for use on dropshades disposed adjacent curtains having tieback loops of predetermined maximum horizontal extent, in combination, rigid transverse means applicable to the lower end of said shade and including outer terminal portions formed with lower surfaces sloping downwardly and inwardly from the corners of said shade by inward distances greater than said inward extent of said loops, whereby said means may deflect said loops from said shade when said shade is lowered in laterally unflexed relation, and means to secure said deflecting means tosaid shade.

4. In a device of the character described, in combination, a smooth horizontally elongated body member having a rear recess adapted to receive the end and a substantial adjacent length of a roll-shade hem and stick assembly, said body member having an enlarged portion spaced substantially inwardly from the outer end of said recess and being tapered upwardly and outwardly around the end of said recess, whereby a deflectingslip surface is formedbelow and outwardly around said hem and stick, and means to REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

- UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 623,083 Houghton Apr. 11, 1899 1,532,519 Sykes Apr. 7, 1925 1,840,017 Brandt Jan. 5, 1932 Savage 'Mar. 25, 1941 

